Borscht…A Beautiful Soup for the Holidays

First let me preface this post with the statement that if you don’t like beets normally, you will love Borscht.

One thing that can said about me from birth, is that I have always sought out the new, different and loved to learn from others cultures. I could be never be one to fit into a  specific box . I have my mother to thank ,for nurturing  this curious spirit of mine. For some reason these days, I’m all into Russian food. If I cant travel, I visit through my kitchen. I even added to the final missing link to my Culinaria series, which was the Russian edition. A coworker saw me reading the Russian edition  and asked

“Why Russia?”

…and I replied “Why Not?”

to which he thought for a moment and said “Touche”

Admittedly , listening to my Russian co workers  has piqued my curiosity. Russian being used in the broadest terms,as each region has its own unique identity. The Polish co workers then pipe in with their versions of the same dish and we get into a whole discussion on recipes and traditions. This is what we do when bored, and I love it!

So lets talk about Borscht. The Ukrainians consider themselves the inventors of Borscht. This “land on the edge” with its main capital of Kiev. All the trade routes crossed this region and The Ukrainians have been under various rulers for centuries, until it was absorbed by the former Soviet Union. In 1991 the finally achieved their independence. The Ukraine can owe its rich culinary tradition to its lands that are known for its mushrooms, berries, grains, vegetables and other fruits. Even wines. Maybe their rich and varied diet contributes to  beauty of the Ukrainian people who seem to produce some of the worlds top models. Food for thought…

Now there are many variations for this beet flavored stew/soup Borscht. From totally vegetarian to more hearty like stew, like I made.  Originally Borscht was just a soup made from wild plants and oats. Beets evolved into the soup late on. The beauty of Borscht is that it can change seasonally with whats on hand. In conversations with my friends I find they like to add beef short ribs  to flavor the base and to add heartiness to the soup.  Potatoes, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms and even beet leaves or sorrel can be added. That’s the beauty of the soup. In Poland at Christmas barszcz , a thinner vegetarian Borscht is made  and served with dumplings called uszka. Borscht really celebrates natures bounty can really decrease waste. In fact it evolved as a way families saved vegetable scraps and  trimmings, and stored outside during the frozen winter, to make into soups later on. So think of all those veggies in your fridge that need to be put to use and make a borscht. Your family will thank you for it. Don’t forget to top it with the Sour Cream , that’s the best part many people believe.

I have techniques I use in soup making that may vary from traditional Borscht recipes.  I will give you a clear recipe but I wanted to explain my process and traditional processes. Whatever you do do , remember the beets are sauteed separate and should not be added until the final stage of cooking, We don’t want the beets to lose color and darken. We want to retain the bright red color. For my version I used beef shank because it was cheaper than short ribs, although not as much meat. It requires hours of cooking to make tender. I peeled chopped and diced my potatoes , carrots, golden beets, onions, and garlic and roated them first with my beef shanks to brown in dutch oven. Then I placed it stove top and added my liquids. I find roasting of veggies and meats coaxed the flavor out more rather than browning on the stove top. The ingredients can vary and be based on what you have.  For meat you can use pork, beef , chicken or lamb. Don’t worry about being exact. Cooking should be fun and improvisational, not rigid. Also note that borscht always tastes better the next day. But if you cant wait until then  wait for at least 40 minutes for flavors to merge before serving.

Borscht...A Beautiful Soup for the Holidays
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A thick hearty soup from the Ukraine
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1-2 lbs beef short ribs, shank , etc. You can use whatever meat you desire form pork, chicken or lamb.
  • 1 large onion
  • 4 carrots peeled and chopped fine.
  • 3-4 medium potatoes peeled and chopped.
  • 1-2 golden beets optional* ( had on hand)
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • a touch of vegetable or olive oil
  • ⅛ tsp Celery seed
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 small head of white cabbage shredded
  • 3 qts or more of beef stock ( can use bouillon and water)
  • 3-4 large red beets peeled julienned into strips
  • ½ cup chopped fatty bacon, guanciale or other fatty pork
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • Bay Leaf
  • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 tbsp sugar
  • Sour cream to garnish
  • Fresh Dill & Parsley to garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. In a large Dutch Oven add the beef shanks, ribs, etc and the peeled and chopped potatoes, carrots, golden beets,onions, and garlic.
  3. Toss with a little oil , season with salt and pepper and roast for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until softened and browned.
  4. In a separate skillet , render fat a bit from the bacon or fatty pork product and the peeled and julliened red beets. Saute for a few minutes.
  5. Add the tomato paste to the beets. Continue to saute.
  6. Add the vinegar to the beets and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside.
  7. Remove the Ducth Oven form the oven and place on stove top.
  8. Add the 3 qts of stock or water and bouliion.
  9. Bring to a simmer on a low heat and adjust seasonings to taste. Now's the time to add more salt etc.
  10. Add cabbage, celery seed, bay leaf.
  11. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours until beef is tender. At this point you may add more liquid if needed.
  12. For the last 10 -15 minutes of cooking add the red beets, tomato mixture to the soup base. Add sugar.Simmer uncovered .
  13. Adjust seasonings( maybe add more vinegar ,salt or pepper).
  14. Remove from heat after 15 minutes.
  15. Let sit for at least 45 minuted before serving.
  16. Garnish with fresh sour cream , dill and parsley.
Notes
Do not overcook the beets in the soup. Only add at the last stage and cook no longer than 15 minutes in the soup. You can adapt this recipe to incorporate may types of seasonal produce or using what ever meat you like on hand. You can also make it completely vegan by omitting the animal products and meat.

 

 

Making Petit Brie at Home and Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions

As you can see from the last few posts I have been busy experimenting with Cheese making. Out of all the experiments I found the process of making Brie the most fascinating, even if not the most successful.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a success but I need to practice it more. The collage shows various stages of the  cheese with the bloom forming over the curds to make a white rind. The process takes at least a few months . I could have  been neater from the beginning with the curds . But I ended up with nice even smooth rind. Out of curiosity I cut into a  wheel and found my rind completely formed and it very runny inside. It was also a tad salty. The trick is to maintain proper temps in your fridge with aide of plastic boxes and later cheese wrapping paper, to create and control the climate and humidity .  Did I follow the temps exacatly? No , but I did the best I could with what I had and pretty pleased with the result. Like with the Feta, I followed two recipes from Home Cheesemaking and The Cheesmaker. I’m going to continue to age the other wheel and track the changes and see how far I can take it.

I don’t think I will be offering my clients my homemade Brie anytime soon, but I did make this great dish for a recent Baby Shower I catered. Imagine hot  oozing Brie baked in its crate  and topped with caramelized onions to be scooped on bread or crackers.  It will be hit for your holiday entertaining and a different twist on the old Brie wrapped in pasty and filled with jam.  I adapted this go to recipe from Hors d’Oeuvre at Home with the Culinary Institute of America.

 

Warm Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions
 
Prep time
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Appetizer
Recipe type: Coco Cooks
Ingredients
  • 1 wheel of Brie frozen for 30 minutes in wooden crate
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2-3 large onions thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic chopped
  • Fresh Thyme minced
  • ½ cup Sherry or Cognac
  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a skillet, melt butter.
  2. Add onions and saute until tender. Reduce heat. Do not brown the onions. Constantly stir until onions soften.
  3. Add garlic and salt and Thyme..
  4. Continue to cook onions until the start to become golden and soften.
  5. At 10 minutes intervals add a bit of the sherry or cognac and continue to cook onions on a low heat as they absorb the liquid. Continue to stir. Repeat this until all the liquid is used and the onions are soft and brown.
  6. Preheat oven to 350.
  7. Remove onions from heat and reserve or refrigerate until ready to use.
  8. Freeze Brie for 30 minutes before baking. This prevents the cheese from running out of the wooden crate.
  9. Cut off the top rind only.
  10. Spread the caramelized onions on top of Brie.
  11. Cover with foil and place wheel of Brie back in crate.
  12. Place cheese on a baking sheet and bake for approx 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  13. Serve in its wooden box.

Merry Christmas From Coco Cooks

Merry Christmas to all my readers who celebrate . Thank you for reading and I look forward to providing you with more content in the new year.

One of our traditions to is to look at the Christmas Mass at the Vatican on Christmas Eve. I leave you with a clip of the beauty and grandeur of the Vatican/ St.Peters Basilica , Certain Someone captured last fall.


Basler Brunsli and Tozzetti…A Saveur Cookie Challenge Double Post

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming…

Yesterday was hot day at Coco Cooks. But now I’m shifting my focus back to holiday baking. Certain Someone took me to New York last week and I didn’t get a chance to post week three’s cookie from Saveur. So today I’m doing a double post ( weeks 3 and 4), so there is still time to get some cookies in your repertoire.

For my final two cookies I chose the complex and rich Basler Brunsli from Switzerland

and a Tozzetti from Rome,Italy.

Both were relatively easy to prepare. Allow for time with Basler Brunsli as it requires a drying out and rest time of three hours. The appealing part of the Basler Brunsli is that it is a Gluten Free cookie, for those that need  a good gluten free recipe. Originating in Switzerland its composed of ground almonds, chocolate, cloves and cinnamon. I cheated and took a cue from some other bakers and used almond meal rather than grind my own.

For the Tozzetti, I took Bakers License. I didn’t have all the ingredients but variations of it. I mixed Anise extract with rum, rather than anise seed and Sambuca. I didn’t have whole hazelnuts, but chopped. And I only had ground almonds which I toasted with the hazelnuts. The flavor profile didn’t change, just the presentation of whole sliced hazelnuts in the Biscotti. This is a different recipe from other Biscotti , as you don’t mold a slab but pour the batter in  a jelly roll pan and bake. But it works. I like them as they are not too sweet.

I would call both of these cookies the Grown Folks cookies. The flavors are more sophisticated and complex. They are sturdy cookies that will pack well in your holiday gift boxes. You can find the recipes for Basler Bunsli here and for Tozzetti here.

Check out the other Smart Cookies in our Holiday Baking Pursuits.

Krumkakes… A Saveur Cookie Challenge

Krumkake has been on my radar for years. The only thing preventing me making some was the lack of equipment. On Ebay I found a old school cast iron Krumkake iron  and won the the bid for $16 plus shipping. The price coming in far less than a new  electric Krumkake maker.

Krumkakes are a crisp Norwegian cookie that according to my friend Becca is a the predecessor to the waffle cone. At this time of year, especially in areas full of Norwegian descendants, they yearn for Krumkakes , just like Grandma used to make. Well my grandmothers weren’t Norwegian, but Nigerian and American,but I can understand the longing. After the initial fail rate of badly burnt Krumkakes, I got the hand and managed to to make some pretty respectable cookies. Lacking the cone shaped Krumkake former, I used cannoli tubes and a pointed turkey baster. I got a more cannoli shaped cookie.

The intricate designs didn’t transfer as strong as I would have liked. I’m assuming this was due the age and wear and tear of the iron. But nevertheless, I was very satisfied. I filled my cookies with Whipped Cream infused with Apricot Brandy and stabilized with Dr. Otekers Whip It. Don’t fill your Krumkake until you are ready to eat. The shells keep for a few days in a airtight container.

As I said before . dont get discouraged. After a few you will get the hang of it. See.They are really delicious and just crumble in your mouth. So delicate, so be careful.

The cardamon scented batter is quite thick and all you need is tablespoon full per cookie.

Click here for the recipe and enjoy! Be sure to check out my other baking friends. We have been through Gourmet, and Bon Appetite. This year we chose a cookie a week from Nick Malgieri’s choices at Saveur.

Check out the other Smart Cookies in our Holiday Baking Pursuits.